Fluid operated sweeper



Nov. 14, 1961 G. w. DEL VECCHIO 3,008,159

FLUID OPERATED SWEEPER Filed July 7, 1958 76 FIG. 6

INV EN TOR.

GUY w. DEL VECCH|O 68 BY ,4,; 86 FIG.1 72 e Unite The present invention relates to a fluid operated sweeper and more particularly to a suction sweeper for cleaning the bottom of swimming pools While Water is contained in the pool.

According to the present invention, a liquid operated sweeper is provided Which includes a housing whose walls define a chamber having an outlet connected With the low pressure side of a Water pump and having a Water inlet. A hydraulic motor in the form of a rotor or impeller is disposed Within the charnber adapted to be operated by a fluid moving aeross the blades thereof. A cleansing device, such as a rotatable bristle sweeper is coupled With the impeller and is disposed adjacent the inlet whereby rotation of the impeller will efiect a. rotation of the cleansing device.

In the preferred emoodirnent of the present nvention, there is provided an axially located fluid outlet passage in the walls defining the sweeper housing, and this outlet passage is adapted to accept or be ooupled with the low pressure side of a water pump. In addition, fluid-direction means or partitions are locatecl between this outlet passage and a similar substantially axially located fluid passage between the upper and a lower or inlet chamber of the sweeper, and these partitons act to direct water from the lower charnber, through an opening in one of the partitions, against the outer portion of the olades of the impeller, and thence through an opening in another or: the parttions, and out of the outlet passage. The openings in the partitions are circurnferentially offset, Whereby the Waters caused to move With the impeller blades circumferentally Within the upper charnber nntil the moving water is in register With the opening in the other parttion. 'I'hus water passing from the lower inlet chamber, through the impeller eharnber, provides the motivo power r"or drving the impeller. Snce the eleansing device is coupled to the impeller, the cleansing element is rotated over and against the surface to be cleaned, swept, or polished, as the case may be. The concentration of the flow of Water from the lower inlet sweeper charnber through the openings described, alfords a strong driving action against the impeller.

A handle is fitted to the housing for moving the sweeper above the surface to be cleaned, and where this surfaoe is a swmming pool bottom, the handle may be made as long as necessary and operatecl remotely from the side of the pool. In this connection it is noted that the rotation of the sweeper elements tends to aid in moving the present sweeper over the pool bottom. Casters or rollers are mounted above the lower portion of the housing to permit the sweeper to be easily moved over the pool bottom, and means are provided for adjusting the l1eight of these casters to thereby adjust the height or anglo of the sweeper With respect to the surface over which it is operating. This acljustrnent of the height of the sweeper adjusts the entry area for water passing into the inlet of the sweeper.

The present sweeper is constructed for easy assembly and disassernbly whereby it is manufactured at low cost and easily overhauled and maintained. Further, the sweeper is relatively light in weight to permit it to be easily propellecl over the surface to be cleaned, and, in operation over the bottom of a. pool filled With water, it may be guided by manipulating the handle. In clean- 1'ng the bottom of a swimming pool, the brush elements atent rce effeetively scrub scum and undesirable collections of debris and the like into the interior of the sweeper Without raising a cloud of such matter into the man body of water in the pool. Thus, the sweeper exhausts water during the cleanng operation and substantially completely avoids contamin'ating the water With dirt and scurn churned during the cleaning operation.

Other objects and features of the present invention Will be readily apparent to tbose skilled in the art from the following specification and appended drawings Wherein a preferred form of the invention is illustrated, and in Which:

FIGURE 1 is an elevational view, partially in cross section, of the fluid operated sweeper of the present mvention;

FIGURE 2 is a view taken along line 11-11 of FIG- URE I;

FIGURE 3 is a View taken along line III--III of FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a view taken along lime IV -IV of FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 5 is a detail plan view of the impeller of the present sweeper; and

FIGURE 6 is a view taken along line VI-VI of FIG- URE 1.

Referring to the drawings and more particularly to FIGURE 1, there is illustratecl an embodirnent of the fluid operated sweeper of the present invention, which is generally designated 10, and Which is particularly adapted for use in cleaning the bottorns of swimming pools filled With water. It is contemplated that any source of subatrnospheric pressure may be used With the present sweeper.

During the use of swimrning pools, there is an unavoidable collection of debris on the pool bottom, and certain growths and scuro accumulate which must be removed for reasons of both sanitation and appearanee. Sweeper 11 is designed to be manpulated over the pool bottom to scrub ofi and collect such debris and seum and exhaust it through the previously mentioned suction outlet without perrnitting any appreciable amount of such matter to be churned and thrown away from the sweeper to clot;d and contaminate the main body of water in the poo Sweeper 10 comprises an enclosure or housing 12 having side Walls 14, a lower Wall 16, and an upper wall 18 forrns a cover for housing 12. The wall or cover 18 is provided =with a peripheral flange 20 which is received by and closely mated With a peripheral shoulder or lip 22 provided by the upper edge of side walls 14, and a plurality or machne screws or bolts are threaded into lip 22 and upper wall 18 to securely maintain the upper Wall 18 in position upon side walls 14.

Upper wall 18, side Wa-lls 14 and the upper surface of lower wall 16 serve to define an annular upper chamber 24, and the lower wall 16 serves to define an annular downwardly opening lower circularly shaped water inlet charnber 26, the lower portion of which forms a circular inlet to the sweeper. A fan, rotor, or impeller 28, best viewed in FIGURE 5, is rotatably mounted in charnber 24 and an operating device or sweeper element 30 is rotatably mounted in chamber 26. Means 32 are coupled between impeller 28 and operatng device 36 to provide for cornrnon rotation thereof, means 32 in the present embodiment being a vertically i.e. axially disposed shaft which is secured at its upper encl to impeller 28 by a key 34 Which is carried Within a keyway 36 provided in the center section 38 of impeller 28.

As illustrated, impeller 28 includes the center section 38 Which is provided With a plurality of vertical slots for accepting the inner ends of a corresponcling plurality of irnpeller blades 40, the inner ends of blades 4 being rigidly secured in the slots of section 38 and the outer ends of blades 40 being dished or tapered for maximum eficiency of operation under the action of the fluid moving thereover. The outer tips of blades 49 are spaced closely adjacent to side walls 14 to rnnimize any fluid leakage therebetween, and blades 40 are preferably made of a resilient material, such as rubber, whereby the enter tips of blades 40 sweep or scrub against side walls 14 during, rotation of impeller 28.

Sweeper element 30 is rigidly secured to the lower end of shaft 32 by a screw 42 disposed through a suitable opening in a sweeper center section 44 and into a suitable axially threaded opening provided in the lower end of shaft 32.

Center section 44 is preferably formed to provide a pair of radially extending arms to which a pair of sweeper sections 46 are secured by a pair of screws 48. The pair of screws 48 may be loosened or removed to permit che replacement of W0111 sweeper sections 46 With new sweeper sections 46, or With abrading or poishing sections, as desired. With hs construction it will be seen that rotation of impeller 28 effects a rotation of shaft 32 which in mm rotates sweeper element 317 to thereby scrub or clean the surface upon which sweeper 10 is disposed. The upper surface of sweeper sections 46 increase in vertical cross secton from tbe outward tip inwardly, and the under side of the lower wa1l 6 is shaped to diverge upwardly inwardly away from sweeper sections 46. The described configuration of the under surface of lower wall 16, namely, the segment of a hollow sphere, serves to channel or guide upwardly moving flnid toward the axis of sweeper 10.

A pair of plates or partitions 50 and 52 are horizontally or transversely disposed between sde walls 14 of housing 12, and rest upon peripheral lips or shoulders provided in side walls 14. Partition 52 is arranged adjacent to the lower surface of impeller 28, and partition 50 is arranged adjacent the upper surface of impeller 28 whereby partitions 50 and 52 are vertically spaced from one another to form therebetween an enclosure for im* peller 28. Partitions 50 and 52 are located in position and restrained against rotatable movement by a pair of pins 54 which are disposed through the edges of the partitions and into a suitable opening provided in the peripheral shoulders of side walls 14 upon which the plates rest. The disposition of partitions and 52 With- Upon the connection of base 66 to che low pressure side of a pump (net shown), water Will be drawn upwardly from lower chamber 26 through hose 66. The passage from lower charnber 26 for sueh fluid is afforded by a plurality of substantially centrally located outl'et openings 76 provided in lower wa1l 16, 'and passage through partition 52 is aforded by an opening 72 provided adjacent one edge of partition 52. Fluid passage from the chamber of impeller 28 through partition 50 is aflorded by an opening 74 provided adjacent one edge of partiton 50. It is important to note that openings 72 and 74 are located in peripherally oiset relationship, that is, opening 74 is located preferably 90 away from opening 72 whereby fluid passing through opening 72 is forced to floW through a 90 path Within the chamber of impeller 28 prior to its passage out of opening 74. It Will be apparent that opening 74 may be located oiset frorn opening 72 a peripheral distance sornewhat more or less than that described, it being important only that the fluid path be directed so as to act in a transverse direction against the blades of impeller 28. Fluid passage from chamber 58 is tnen aiorded by one or more openings 76 provided through the vertical wals of portion 62, as best ilustrated in FIGURE 6.

In the operation of sweeper 10, a suction applied to hose 66 Will effect a flow of fluid frorn beneath sweeper element 30 through che circular inlet of inlet ehamber 26, through outlet openings 70, opening 72, opening 74, and openings 76, and, the transverse path of fluid from opening 72 io opening 74 Will cause rotation of irnpeller 28. The rotational movement of impeller 28 is transferred by shaft 32 to sweeper element 30, and this consequent rotation of sweeper element 30 effects the deroller elements 78 Which are each rotatably carried in a in upper chamber 24 serve a1so to define collection spaces or chambers 56 and 58 between partition 52 and lower Wall 16, and between partition and upper wall 18, respectively. As Will be seen, charnber 56 serves to receive fluid and waste material subsequent to its passage through lower charnber 26 and prior to its entry into che impeller chamber, and charnber 58 serves to receive this sarne waste matter subsequent to its passage through the impeller charnber and prior to its discharge from sweeper 10.

Partiton 50 is provided With a central opening through which shaft 32 is rotatably disposed, and partition 52 is provided with a central socket portion for rotatably receiving the upper end of shaft 32, this socket portion being reinforced by a thickened center portion or cap 60.

Cap 60 serves to accept end or axial loads imposed by shaft 32 during operaton of sweeper element 30, this end -load also being berne by a cylindrical center portion 62 Which is formed integrally With upper wall 18 and extends downwardly frorn upper Wa1l 18 into an abutrnent with the upper surface of partition 50. A vertical extension 64 of center portion 62 forms a socket for accepting an exhaust lime or hose 66 in flnid-tight relationship. Thus, end play or end loads are berne by cap 60, while side loads imposed by shaft 32 are berne by a bushing 68 which is press fitted within a suitable central opening provded in lower wa11 16, bushing 68 being provided With a central bore through Whch shaft 32 is rotatably disposed.

socket element 81) whieh is threadably dsposed in a Vertical position through a peripheral lower flange 82 which is integral With housing 12. It will be apparent that rotation of element Wi1l adjust the vertical position of its associated roller elements 78, and a jarn nut 84 is threadably mounted to each socket element 80, which When tightened Will look or maintain socket element 80 in its adjused position. Adjustment of the height of sweeper 10 over the surface to be cleaned serves to adjnstably vary the area of water intake between such surface and the bottom snrface of sweeper 10 to thereby perrnt attainment of opmurn suction of debris and scum into sweeper 10.

It has been found, in actual practce, that it is necessary to gradually decrease the volumetrie capacity of the circular inlet or plenum chamber 26 from the bottom thereof to adjacent the axis thereof and to locate the outlet for the charnber adjacent the axis of the upper Wall of the charnber. By so shaping the plenum chamber and so locating the outlet thereof the velocity of the motor is of sufficient high value to actuate the motor through the relatively small water pump standardly used at home swimming pool installations, and turbulences, which entrap leaves and other dirt, are not present in the plenum chamber, and the Water and debris lifting areas are uniform through the like areas lying in the same planes transverse to the axis of the ehamber and including the entire peripheral inlet area. A bumper 86, made of a sutable reslient material such as rubber or plastic, is mounted to the edge or periphery of flange 82 to protect sweeper 10' from the hard nsage and abuses Which are encountered in bumping sweeper 10 against,

s,oos,159

for example, the sde walls of the swimming pool beng cleaned.

Sweeper 101's guided over the surface to be cleaned by manpulation of a handle 88 Which is secured to brackets 98 Which are rigidly fixed or fastened to side walls 14. On1y a portion of hand1e 88 is illustrated, but it will be obvious that handle 88 may be of any suitable length or shape.

The water circuit may include the sweeper, the pump for drawing water through the sweeper, a filter tank or other suitable means for cleansing the Water being circulated, and the clean water may then be returned to the pool whence it originaly carne. Thus no water is Wasted by he use of the present inventon.

Whie certain preferred embodirnents of the invention have been specificaly disclosed, t is undersood that the invenon is not limited thereto as mzmy variations will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art and the invention is to be gven its broadest possible interpretaion Wthin the terms of the following claims:

1. A cleaner for swmming poo1s or the like comprising in combination, a housing having an outlet fox liquid connectble With the W pressure side of a 1iqud pump, said housing having a circularly shaped in1et chamber, the axis of sad chamber beng vertical, said chamber being open at fne botom provding a crcularly shaped :nlet at the bottom thereof and an outlet at the top thereof adjacent the axis of the chamber, said chamber defined by an upper wa1l, the under side of said wa1l having che shape of a segment of a 110110W sphere for gradually decreasing the volumetric capacity of the chamber from the boom thereof to the top thereof; a hydrau- 1ic motor Within the housing includng a rotor movable in response to -the flow of iquid through the housing, sad motor being disposed between che outlet or" the inlet chamber and the first mentioned outlet; a rotatable c1eaning element adjacent said in1et to che chamber, sa1'd cleaning element having a portion projecting below the inlet to said chamber; and means on the housing for spacing the inlet of the chamber from che surface to be c1eaned a distance substantially equa1 t0 the height of the projectng portico of the cleaning element.

2. A cleaner as defined in claim 1, in which the last mentioned means is operable to adjust the distance betWeen the inlet of he chamber and the surface being ceaned.

3. A sucion sweeper comprising a housng, said housing having walls defining an impeller chamber and a downwardly open sweeper chamber Which is downwardy progressively larger; a vertically disposed shaft carried by the housng; an impeller rotatable within said impeller chamber and carried by sad shaft, said irnpeller including blades; sweeping means rotatable W1'thin said sweeper chamber and secured to said shaft; an upper partitico transversey disposed between and supported adjacent l1e upper surface of said impeller by the side walls of said housing, sad upper partitica having an opening offset from the vertcal axis of said impeller, and a lower partitica transversely disposed between and supported adjacent che lower surface of said impeller by said side Walls, said lower partition having an opening oflset from the vertical axis of said impeller, said openngs in said upper partiion and said lower partitico being circumferentialy oflset With respect to each oher to ihereby guide fluid ransversely agansi the blades of said impoller, said 1ower partition being spaced above he wals defining said sweeper ohamber to -thereby forrn an intermediate chamber, said sweeper chamber wal1s ncluding a substantially centraly located fluid. passage between said sweeper chamber and said intermediate chamber.

4. A suotion sweeper according to claim 3 and characterized in that said sweeper means includes a: least one arm Which is arcuately shaped Whereby when said sweeper means is rotated the inner arc-like face of said arm forms the leading side of the arm for inwardly directng fluid to the substantially centrally located fluid passage in said sweeper chamber wal1s.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 983,988 Poster Feb. 14, 1911 1,147,064 Wolf July 20, 1915 2,703,904 Long Mar. 15, 1955 OTHER REFERENCES Germany, German appl. Ser. No. P6206, printed Apr. 5, 1956. 

